Konnor Griffin has joined Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh, whose window to win now feels wide open

Two first-round picks drafted a year apart — Skenes in 2023, Griffin in 2024 — who have embraced the pressure that comes with being labeled the cornerstones of a franchise that appears intent on being taken seriously in 2026 and beyond. For a tidy 2 hours, 29 minutes during a 7-1 victory over San Diego that gave the Pirates their sixth win in seven games, Skenes and Griffin took turns showcasing why Pittsburgh believes its decade-plus playoff drought could end this fall. Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, struck out five of the first nine Padres he faced and didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning.

Griffin, called up last Friday at just 19, beat out an infield single in the fifth, then nearly caught teammate Spencer Horwitz while racing from first to home on Oneil Cruz’s two-run double that gave Skenes and three relievers all the offense they would need. Griffin, whose night on defense included a laser throw to first to nail Fernando Tatis Jr. on a slow chopper, later tacked on a two-run single in the eighth for the first multi-hit game of his career.

Yes, it’s early April. Yes, the season is not even two weeks old. Still, for a team that insisted from the moment it arrived in spring training that it was time to win — and made a couple of uncharacteristically aggressive moves in the offseason by trading for All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and signing All-Star outfielder/first baseman Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year deal in free agency — the early returns have been encouraging.

“We’re in a good spot,” Skenes said after improving to 2-1. “A lot of season to go, for sure, but the first couple of weeks have been pretty dang fun. ...